The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-09
WITH GUN AND DOC.
Notes ON The Shooting OF Prairie
Chickens and Quail.
no" 10 work for Woodcock-POint-
ers and setiers-rhe Value Of e
Well Broken Dog.

andsgoes TO the fields and the woods
Tor sport and rec eaton. In mos
States game birds are protected by
the law from hunters in the breeding
season and while their young are toe
small TO take care of themselves: but
in the fall and winter they must rely
upon their own resources for safety,
The true sportsman, who finds his
pleasure in the hunting rather than
in the mere killing of game, gives
the bird reasonably fair chance for
its life. He will not Kill a sit.
ting bird, and he reserves his fire un.
I'll his game Is in the act
of escaping. From the market hunt
or, however, bird gets no consider.
alton, no sentimental fair play which
is fair only by comparison. The
pot hunter has AL seasons for his own,
and he would rather kill twenty sit
ting quail in bunch at one shott than
MT the quickest strongest bird that
ever rose before gun. lie saws the
Sportsman'S fair play is all humbug,
because man, u gun and dog
against one poor little bird Is pretty
big odds. II the hunter would 90
out unarmed and try to catch and
Mi game with no weapons other
than those supplied by nature, the
conditions would be fairer and the
llttcst would win The pot hunter
Kills that he may live; he gets his
bread and butter by hunting. The
sportsman Kills for pleasure for
sport In one case il is work. in the
other play. But the world. in spite
oil ltsfallcgcd respect for labor, al
ways has esteemed play noLlcr than
work and among destroycrs OF life
the sportsmen are the aristocracy.
WITH the many who 20 atield with
dog and gun, there is none who can
clam pre-cmincnce, but probably Mr.
W. Iallman, OF New York. has had rs
wide range of experience and Is rs
thoroughly familiar with the WAYS of
BIRDS and dogs rs any. sportsman in
tho country. His face Is familiar IN
al who attend field trials. and he Is
known As very successful trainer
OF hunting dogs. Mr.. Tallman
says;
"ihc birds most hunted with dogs
are prairie chickens, quail, woodcpck
aud partridge. The first are found
l n the middle western States in wide.
open country, aud afford pretty fair
sport The shooting usually begins
In September, when the birds are In
coyeys and are feeding in the corn
fields. You 80 after prairie chickens
IN farm wagon and take two or
more dogs, settlers or pointers. You
want dogs that will range wide aud
heo? well ahead OF the wagon. As
YOU may get over \ good many miles
Of prairie during the day, YOU will
stay IN your wagon until your dogs |
lind tho birds. When a dog points
you drive up aS close rs YOU think
proper and either alght and flush
tho BIRDS or stay IN tho wagon aud |
shoot them when they rise. Early In |
The season, before they have been |
shot ut much, wagon can be driven
pretty near thcm before they will
n.y. They will take short flights.
and u is easy to follow coycy and BAG |
neatly the whole OF H. When the |
OU'ls are plenty II isno difficult thing |
to just about NIL a wagon In n DAYS |
shooting. One reason for going in
wagon is that YOU will get more than
you could carry In q bag. You want
dogs that will range wide, that is.
Keep well ahead aud cover a great
deal OF ground. They must be steady.
Too, because they may have to pon.
some time before you get to them.
Badly broken dogs would flush the
birds IN their impalicncc. The pref.
test part Of the sport Is the work Of
perfectly broken dogs. When one
dog point, birds the others will stop
and point him, and all will stand
motionc'. until the birds rise. VIII L.
ranging thcy also watch one another.
20 that one may not interfere with
the Others work Mind you. | am
speaking ot dogs that are perfect In
their work. but II i not often that
You vii sec such tine work as that
why're number OF dog, are used
"lhc prairie chicken or prairie
grouse rises easy aud ha, steady
flight II i not difficult 10 shoot
them. and 10 become, rather dull
sport. Almost any body can kill
them In The open country In the
corniiclis IL - lite quicker work,
hut while a sportsman accustomed Ia
ca'trrn shooting makes little of Il.
the native prairie shooters think IL
almost useless 10 90 into the corn
after birds Late In tho season the
chickens 20 In packs instead Of
covrys, aud take long flights. and
then Il IS harder Ia get them. hut
prair g chicken shooting cannot com.
pa.c with quail shooting. such n we
nave in tie north and east. In the
south, where quail are plenty yet. the
shooting is comparatively easy. You
20 on horseback In the wide country
aud find the birds IN Conveys. The
dogs range ahead. aud Il ihey are
steady and your horse l. used 10 the
work. you ride up Ia and ahead oI
them when they point n YOU get
only two or three bri, ont ~ covey
you are satisfied. because you can
lind any number Of coycys during
the day, and are sure OF get.
ting q good blg. In the north.
however, quail arc not ~ plentiful.
and rs YOU may ind but Que or two
coycys IN day, you must do more
work You don't use a horse in this
shooting. Twenty years ago the
quail were found Ia low bush. and
would rise above II when flushed. 20
that the shooting was comparatively
open. Bat they have become cdn.
ca,ol. lul take 10 the wooded hlll.
sides. Their flight l. very sharp and
swift. ani they frequent thick cover
When flushed, they go straight away
like bullets You see where they
drop, bnt they are Likely to run ON
the ground aud ly again. aud then Il
is hard 10 lind them You want a
gooi dog. one that will range close
and obey every word and motion of
yOus hand With such dog YOU !
ought 10 get three or -four birds ont